November is National Scholarship Month, referred to by the National Scholarship Providers Association as a time to raise awareness of scholarship opportunities for current and future college students. November is an excellent time to begin the scholarship application process if you or your child has not done so already. Many scholarship providers are posting new scholarship information and competitions for the next academic year in November.
Scholarships play an essential role in paying for college, with a recent poll showing that scholarships and grants cover an average of 15 percent of students' college expenses. College scholarships are awarded to students of all ages and levels of education. There are scholarships for high school students, scholarships for undergraduate students, and scholarships for graduate students. There are also specific sources of scholarship funding based on other criteria, such as academic scholarships, athletic scholarships, and scholarships for minorities.
"Scholarships provide an opportunity for students to earn an education and help pay for a degree they need in order to enter the workforce. With the student debt crisis at an all-time high, scholarships save students from huge loan debts and future financial concerns," explains Ms. Buncic, PA Distance Guidance Counselor. "We encourage all of our PA Distance students to apply for scholarships and are willing to work together on the application process," she adds.
Take some time this month to search for scholarship opportunities that may be right for you.
Tips for searching for scholarship opportunities:
- Search all local and national retail chains for scholarship information.
- Type in the specific degree path that you/or your child is interested in following and add scholarship information to the search (i.e. scholarships for students interested in nursing, etc.)
- Search foundation websites (i.e. Carnegie, Heinz, Bill and Melinda Gates, etc.).
- Check out the Scholarship sweepstakes website: www.10kscholarship.com
- Search on employer websites.
- Search specific religious affiliations, such as: Synods, Diocese, etc.
Helpful Links & Websites: to Explore:
Pennsylvania Society Scholarship
Scholarships for Minority Students
Beulah Frey Environmental Scholarship ($2,500)
Source: Scholarships.com